2015 Recipients

2015 Seeds for Hope Recipients

Adam, Kaitlin, & Franky Spierings

Franky and his parents, Adam and Kaitlin, were our 2015 Seeds of Hope Recipients. Adam, as a young boy on his grandfather’s farm, found a love and passion for the dairy industry, more specifically the Brown Swiss breed. Adam and his wife Kaitlin, who also grew up on a dairy farm, started their own dairy farming operation in 2012. As any young farmer knows, starting your own operation always has its challenges. In the case of the Spierings, they had a few extra. Mother nature fought against their success. Their very first growing season, the entire state felt the effects of a horrible drought, proving detrimental to their crops and resulted in them having to purchase much of their corn silage in order to make it through the winter. Unfortunately, the Spierings then faced the tragedy of a direct tornado hit to their farm, causing significant damage. The stress induced by the tornado had a large impact on herd health. Just a few of the effects they saw included miscarriages, infections, and lower milk production. The tornado also left their crop fields littered with debris, causing lower yield, forcing them once again to have to purchase more feed than expected. The following winter, with more than 50 days on record below zero, Adam and Kaitlin struggled with keeping their young livestock healthy.

It is all a matter of perspective. Even through their hardship, Adam and Kaitlin have become only more passionate and dedicated to the dairy industry and the success of their farm and herd. For them, farming isn’t just a way of life; it is the only life they know. For anyone who knows or as had the opportunity to meet the Spierings, it is obvious they are doing what they love. This is why we were happy to support the Spierings with our 2015 Seeds for Hope Program. We provided their young family with $10,000 worth of seed to help this young family keep their dreams alive. Adam and Kaitlin, who are currently renting their facilities, are now getting the opportunity to build their own operation in the coming year. We look forward to watching their family and operation grow. We know that whatever challenge they face, they will find success!